As noted already by Politico (first in a blog, then a full-blown article) and Left in Alabama, candidate for Alabama governor, Rep. Artur Davis released a statement today blasting his primary opponent and advocating taking a step back from healthcare reform to focus on jobs,
Leadership is about building broad support for results. By that definition, it is increasingly obvious that the political process in Washington has failed to lead on health care reform, and that Americans in every corner of the country want a different approach.
It is clear that Alabamians share the same deep concerns. They believe, as I do, that we need to get on with the essential task of revitalizing this economy and getting Americans and Alabamians back to work. They also agree that instead of trying to do too much, Congress should return to a simple focus: helping individuals and businesses afford the cost of insurance and stopping insurance companies from discriminating against sick people.
Ron Sparks, who supports the flawed health care legislation in Washington, should realize that he is not only out of touch with the state he wants to lead, Ron Sparks would even be out of touch in Massachusetts.
To put Sparks’ position in perspective – he supports new mandates and taxes on businesses during the toughest business climate in a generation; he supports raising income taxes and Medicare taxes while the costs of insurance would still keep rising; and he apparently has no problem with a process that has been corrupted with secret deals that favor some states and make the rest of us pay for their special treatment.
Whatever else you say about Congressman Davis, you cannot say he is afraid to lead. The question still remains whether there will be enough people willing to follow. He’s saying the things many Alabamians want to hear, but not necessarily a majority of those in a Democratic primary. I am extremely interested in how this rhetoric is playing with the electorate, or if they’re even listening at all.
There was also an article today describing comments Rep. Davis made to the District Attorneys Association on Wednesday regarding gambling,
“Gaming, bingo, the degree to which we allow, don’t allow gambling, you recognize that we need practical approaches to those issues,” Davis told the group. Davis said the choice really is not whether the state is going to allow gambling or not, because the Poarch Creeks for years have had gaming operations over which the state has no control.
“The real question is, what are the rules of the road going to be? How do we regulate the gaming we have?” Davis said.
The key words in that quote are “practical approaches”…it’s a phrase you will hear over and over again from Rep. Davis and it’s one of the reasons his message resonates with many Alabamians. You can have all the high-minded ideals in the world, but the practicality of how government works (or doesn’t work) and the problems we face is going to stare the next governor right in the face.
Rep. Davis is continuing to hit a strong general election message tone with his statements, it’s a gamble when he is not running unopposed to run this far to the right this early, but it’s also where he is most comfortable. He has been a moderate voice in Congress and it’s apparent the campaign decided to emphasize that, even in the Democratic primary. Will those that are more progressive than the congressman put their support behind Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks, remain on the sidelines or swallow the bitter pill and acknowledge that, particularly in 2010, a pragmatic moderate governor who leans a little to the left may be the best they can do?
I’m interested in your comments below.
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RT @TWAY_Kris: New TWAY Blog Post: Davis Advocates Pressing the Reset Button on Healthcare, Focusing on Jobs http://goo.gl/fb/DZDk
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Rep. Davis omits that good polling suggests that of those not approving of HCR, most feel it doesn’t go nearly far enough. Your DLC centrism is showing Sir.
I certainly agree the current HCR proposal is flawed and yet it does somewhat bend the cost curve. It’s revenue neutral or at least arguably close to being so. Simply put, it is a tolerable start.
The GOP has demonstrated they aren’t willing to negotiate in good faith. Conservadems, which more an more Artur Davis appears to be, have added to our woes.
We can seek the mythical vital center as they move further and further to the right or the House can pass the Senate version, flawed as it is, with serious liberals or progressives ready to work another decade or four to accomplish meaningful reform.
It appears Rep. Davis has decided where he’ll fall in this goal of progressives dating back to Teddy Roosevelt and … However, to parrot the right wing message of ‘being out of touch with even Massachusetts’ is frankly beyond tolerable. Much more of this and I’ll sit this Guv race out plus encourage other progressives or liberals, and there’s a good number of us that you’ll need Sir, to do the same.
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Are there enough progressives to swing the Democratic primary nomination? Looking at the Presidential and Senate election, am not sure. Thought experiment, run for the state legislature on a platform of abortion on demand, no right to arm bears, and new taxes to pay for expanded social programs. What would the result be outside of a few urban enclaves?
Secondly, sitting on your hands during an election forfeits right to b*itch though it does enhance the right to whine. Don’t like candidate’s platform, build a public consensus he has to tack to. Best example, the current bingo war.
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RT @TWAY_Kris: Davis Advocates Pressing the Reset Button on Healthcare, Focusing on Jobs http://bit.ly/7PV7F5
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Mr. Moffett,
I’m personally lost on your idea that “abortion on demand, no right to arm bears, and new taxes to pay for expanded social programs” is progressive.
I follow the guidance of Roe vs Wade believing that reproductive decisions should be left to the woman with the assistance and support of her family and physician. Abortions should be safe, legal, yet rare. One way to reduce abortions is through family or woman friendly policies as to care, employment, etc. I think you can take on all but the most radical Bible thumpers directly and at least earn their respect if not their vote.
I strongly support an understanding of the 2nd that still manages to encompass reasonable regulation and citizens needing special circumstances to have certain weaponry. I’ve talked serious gun nuts into accepting or at least tolerating my ideas. This takes backbone and direct engagement, something weenies in my party all to often can’t seem to demonstrate as they pander to folks that will likely not vote for them anyway. Absent our earning their vote through butting some heads, the average Bubba and Bubette ‘aint gonna ever give my team a listen.
Reforming Alabama’s flawed tax system is tougher yet getting off our knees and putting a foot in the mouth of the right wing blowhards that fight common decency in lifting the grocery tax seems too easy. Before Guv Riley got outmaneuvered I thought it was easier to reform our system yet hope springs eternal in creating fusions of common folks that don’t follow the lies of the Big Mules and reactionaries. I don’t know what social programs you write of so I’m especially lost in offering a response.
Did I say I’d sit on my hands? I thought I just offered that I’d not vote.
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Mr Gunn, abortion, gun control, new social programs are key talking points of any progressive candidate, in my perception of Maya. That they are lacking in yours reveals only your perception.
Participation in democracy without voting is much like marriage without conversation. The gestalt is never formed
However, argumentation on your terms leads not to enlightenment and so I bid you adieu.
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I think that Davis does himself a favor by following a more centrist path. The Majority of democrats in Alabama are center to center left in disposition and I do not believe you have to pander to the extremist in the progressive wing to win a the democratic primary. The Mass. Senate result will probably be a benefit Davis in the long run as it will remove substantial power from the progessive elite in the Democratic party. Without the threat of Pelosi and her ilk ramming thru shoddy legislation with democratic support only, they will be force to work with the moderate republicans. This moderating effect will make the the idea of a democratic governor more appealing to the center mass. That is where elections are won.
As far as the rest of this thread.. I wish Mr. Gunn unlimited success in pulling the democratic party further to the left. Tho He does intrigue me with the “good polling” remark. Is it the same polling group that predicted Martha Coakley pulling out a win.
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louie,
My “good polling” remark was related to health care. I’ve seen several as to HCR yet I was mostly thinking about http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/poll_obama_011110.pdf?tag=contentMain;contentBody On page 9 the “not far enough” construct is there. There was some exit and post election polling done specifically in MA that seems to support this theme.
I’m not sure who the “progressive elite” in the Democratic party are. I don’t even understand that language. Are any mere “progressive commoners” even holding public or party office in Alabama? As for working with the moderate Republicans, what few seem to remain, we can’t even get past their Conservadems and Blue Dogs. We could get decent legislation rammed through that would make a difference for regular folks on Main Street frankly if the Corporatist DINOs and the fantasy of bipartisanship with today’s GOP weren’t so dominant in “my” party.
My beef with Mr. Davis and the DLC is hardly new. I expect him to walk the Centrist path. I just wish he and his wouldn’t so easily parrot the flawed right wing framing of issues in his releases. Then again, the consultants and the like helping him are only focused on that one election ahead of them and many of them truly think tacking to the center is how that might happen. It might work if Fob 2.0 gets GOP nod but …
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As far as health care goes I think this is a good idea no matter the political spectrum. There are a significant number of progressives in all polling that are opposed to this particular bill regardless of how they feel about national health care reform as a whole. Also, although I haven’t looked at any poll, it would be a pragmatic general election tool. Personally, i think Davis would have voted for a measure that wasn’t bungled by the WH so much and allowed to become such a creature of Congress. Polling showed that the public felt much the same way prior to this particular bill. I don’t think “pressing the reset button” is viable at this point, but the Democrats should take a vote and be done with it one way or the other. That reset probably needs to wait until 2012 if it’s needed.
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“Whatever else you say about Congressman Davis, you cannot say he is afraid to lead.”
Sure we can. On LGBT issues, where Davis has flipped his support to opposition on federal hate crimes legislation, and has never (to my knowledge) supported ENDA. On state hate crimes he did tell me he would sign a bill if passed, but he can hardly be called a leader on issues of equality.
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